Metempsychosis
by The-Fantastic-Story-Writer
Summary: 209 years after the Fall of Iwotodai, five students enter Gekkoukan Persona Miltary and Medical Academy, in a time where Personae are not tools, but partners. Erebus trembles in fear, for the Arcana of Judgment, Death, and Fool have reunited once more. Team Telos shall once more rise from the ashes, supported by Team Kazeyuki in turn. Close your eyes tight, and watch the Magic fly.
1. Chapter 1

Fandom: Shin Megami Tensei's Persona Series  
Written By: TFSW (Who is wondering if a name change would save her from death by embarassment)  
Pairings: Multiple, both Homosexual and Heterosexual  
Tags/Warnings: Future AU, impending Violence, eventual death, Junpei, Older!Ken, Mentions of Slavery/Magical bonding  
Projected length: Hell if I know!

* * *

Um. Yeah. Before you maul me to the point of no return, I'm just putting this out as a test into the world of Persona. I got it when I found two people speculating about reincarnation and the like in the Persona series. So this is based off of Persona 3, with the rare reference to Persona 1, 2, and 4 (none of which I own, unfortunately).

P.S. Anyone who can tell me the signifigance of the year gets a cookie!

* * *

_"Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn." _  
_― Mathama Ghandi_

_April 6th, 2218_

* * *

Akihiko's fingers carded their way through his hair as he searched for two free seats for himself and Shinjiro. With a frustrated huff, he shoved Shinjiro into the first available seat and sat on the arm of the seat, scowling even as Shinjiro chuckled at his obvious frustration.

"Relax," Shinjiro drew out the word, just to see his best friend and bonded twitch, one leather-covered hand clenching tight before loosening and spreading flat against a cotton-covered thigh. Reluctantly, Akihiko complied, lips pursed into a faint, unnoticeable frown before he relaxed properly, sliding off the arm to rest on Shinjiro's lap, lean legs curving over the arm.

"Think we can stay like this?" Akihiko mumbled into his shoulder as girls squealed in the background. A small laugh burst from Shinjiro's throat at the unexpected comment.

"I doubt it Aki." Shinjiro chuckled, but compliantly wrapped his arms around Akihiko's waist. The squeals grew louder and he smirked at Akihiko's twitch.

* * *

Across the auditorium, Junpei was holding onto Chidori's hand, humming as he played with her fingers. His girlfriend shook her head, too used to his antics to do anything but smile fondly. Takaya and Jin quirked an eyebrow at their antics, but merely left it at that, letting them do as they want, leaving the auditorium to get a room for the three of them.

"Good luck on team selections," Chidori's soft voice told him finally. He pouted.

"Can't you stay?" Junpei whined softly, even as she chuckled at him

"I'm sorry. Not today." She kissed his head. "I'll see you after team selections." Junpei whined a little louder, but let his girlfriend go, relucantly.

* * *

Makoto leaned against the closed exit door quietly, humming along to a simple, lonely song that rang in the silence around him. He watched as eyes slid over him in a determined effort to ignore the quiet teenager, though a pair of eyes would occasionally flick to his side now and then, to which he'd deliver a satirical smile at them. By his side, his Compendium floated, the ancient book occasionally opening and ruffling delightedly, whispers of laughter echoing from page to page.

* * *

At the top of the stage, Elizabeth's eyes widened, seeing them there, split and lonely. Her fingers roughly grasped Igor's arm and turned his attention to the four in turn. Over his long nose, the Master of the Velvet Room raised an eyebrow in silent disbelief.

"Are you sure that he's the one?" Igor asked calmly. "It's possible it is not. The fifth is not here." Elizabeth then drew his attention to the list of students in the Potentials section. His black eyes grew narrow as he frowned at the name that was on the list. "Philemon, what are you planning?" Igor muttered quietly. "Call them now and assign them together." Elizabeth nodded, her heart lighter than it had been in years. He was free! Finally free of the terrible burden Erebus had cast upon him. Her amber eyes cut towards her younger brother, who nodded firmly, pushing her forwards.

"It is him," Theodore confirmed softly, as Margret gave her sister a bittersweet smile. Elizabeth smiled widely, holding the contract to her chest as she almost raced down the steps. Near the bottom, she tripped, directly in front of her one and only love.

Makoto's hand reached out and grabbed the young woman before she could fall, steadying her.

"Are you alright?" Makoto asked the strange woman, wary of her amber eyes. The woman paused, before beaming at him as if he had appeared just for her.

"Perfectly! In fact, I was about to start looking for you! My name is Elizabeth! I have a task of most urgency, but to complete your team assignments, I must first collect your teammates!" Makoto's eyes widened fractionally in shocked surprise, and he allowed her to drag him off. He was actually getting a team? After the Tokyo Fiasco, he hadn't expected to ever gain another team again!

* * *

Shinjiro looked up, startled at the sight of a Velvet Room attendant dragging the most infamous student 'Bad Luck' Makoto and one flustered looking Junpei behind her like little puppies. He had to cough at the analogy, deciding he really was too tired to deal with shit like this.

"We have found them!" Elizabeth declared happily, drawing both a confused Akihiko and Shinjiro up to stand, dragging them to the front steps, already moving forward towards one of the few unused doors of the Velvet Hall as passerby stared. It pulsed black and blue, and they were rather happily escorted in by the bubbly amber-eyed albino.

"You know, normally we're given polite dismissals," Makoto said wryly, his Compendium fluttering around his head and occasionally bumping into the back of his skull. "This is the first time I've ever been dragged out during an assembly."

"Mm. This is definitely new," Junpei agreed, blissfully ignoring the panicky feel of sitting next to 'Bad Luck' Makoto, instead focusing on the comical sight of his Compendium trying to thwack him while the teenager ducked.

"Greetings." The four spun around and eyed Igor as he entered. They all glanced at one another in worry. Anything that warranted a persona visit from the Master of the Velvet Room was definitely serious stuff. "I do apologize for such an abrupt maneuver on behalf of Elizabeth, there are times she gets . . ." Igor glanced sidelong at his assistant, who beamed merrily at him. Igor sighed. ". . . Enthusiastic . . . about her job." They blinked as one. "She's a Diviner as well as a Compendium Holder." Their baffled expressions all lightened somewhat. "Elizabeth has currently decided that you four, with the inclusion of one potential at the end of this summer will be a perfect team, comparable to the first Persona teams of legend." That little tidbit made all of them look at one another in surprise and even more confusion.

"I . . . beg your pardon?" Akihiko said finally. Igor smiled, handing them each a pair of Arcana Cards.

"I apologize, but I cannot say any more to you. I will give you an answer. Metempsychosis." Igor ignored their blank stares, smiling thinly. "Allow me to escort you to your team rooms. As a team, you will attend classes separate from that of your normal classmates . . ."

* * *

Arisu clung to her big brother's arm as the Persona Military and Medical Academy. In the Dark Hour, the school glowed faintly, towering well above their heads. Alice's brother smiled down at her, lips brushing the top of her head affectionately.

"Don't worry Sis," Ken Amada said cheerfully. "I've got a feeling that this year is going to be a lot better than the last."

* * *

_Metempsychosis - the passing of the soul at death into another body either human or animal. Of late Latin origin, adapted from Greek._

I also wish to apologize for any grammar errors, if I have any. I don't have a beta, and any sane one wouldn't take me on.

PS. I am looking for names to add to my story! They can be any nationality, but remember this is taking place mostly in Japan, so keep that in mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Firstly, a big thank you to Jetzul for his favorite, review, and follow on this story.

I don't own either the characters or anything other than my hard copy of Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3 Portable.

Chapter Two:

* * *

_April 7th, 2218_

* * *

Makoto yawned lazily, arms reaching out over his head as he stretched out luxuriously. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced about his team dorm, seeing his new roommates still sleeping. He frowned, but dressed quickly. It was a good chance to endear himself to them.

He hoped they liked pancakes.

* * *

Shinjiro woke up to the smell of syrup, bacon, and sizzling eggs. He blinked, sat up, and made his sleepy way to the kitchen. On the bed he shared with Akihiko, the white-haired teen snoozed on, head buried into the pillow as he continued to sleep quietly, uncaring of the lack of blankets. He slipped out of the room silently, and was faced with an interesting peculiarity. Makoto Yuki was cooking breakfast. As in actually cooking, rather than burning like Akihiko. He was listening to his headphones, humming cheerfully as he did so, singing along to a particularly old song. Not wanting to startle the teen, Shinjiro walked deliberately loudly, causing the blue-haired boy to turn and smile at him softly.

"Morning sempai," Makoto said politely, to which Shinjiro replied, quietly and warily, fetching a glass of water. Makoto's reputation of bad luck still was something to be wary of.

"Morning to you too, Yuki." Shinjiro then glanced at Makoto's hands, which were far too busy. "Care for a hand?" The brunet offered, getting the pleasure of seeing Makoto smile brightly, a photo negative to his usual frowns and half-smirks.

"I'd love one," Makoto answered in return, his smile turning softer. "Take over the bacon for me?"

* * *

Akihiko woke to the feeling of great amusement from Shinjiro. It flowed along the bond like a ripple of water through their collective consciousness poking at his mind cheerfully. With a yawn, Akihiko got up, intent of seeing what amused Shinji so much. He dressed swiftly, making up the bed, and upon seeing that Junpei was sleepily waking up, deemed his time in the room done for the time being. He exited, finding Shinji laughing at a flour frosted Makoto, who was glaring at his little Compendium book, which hovered out of reach with the flour container. Akihiko chuckled himself, before jumping to fetch the container and offer it to the frustrated teenager, though Shinjiro pouted at him briefly for ruining his fun. He then eyed the large platter of eggs and bacon. Before he could comment on the state of the kitchen, Junpei did, walking into the room.

"Holy shit. Are we eating with an army?" Junpei wondered out loud. "Because if we are, I'm pretty sure Chidori would love any reason to escape Jin's cooking." Makoto huffed in exasperation, lips twitching. Everyone remembered 'The Incident', where Jin had created life.

"No, we're not eating with an army." Even as he said that, Makoto's lips curved up into a proper smile. "But your girlfriend is most certainly welcome." Junpei cheered at that, rushing out of the door to fetch Chidori delightedly. Makoto merely rolled his eyes and continued making pancakes, even as an amused Shinjiro poked his soft blue hair. Akihiko chuckled amusedly in answer to Shinjiro's unasked question and Makoto fended him off with a spatula and frying pan.

* * *

There were a fair number of double takes that evening when the four of them entered their new evening class, though they were hardly the only new students. Ms. Toriumi rapped her knuckles on the table crisply, drawing their attention to her.

"Good evening class. As you can see, we have some new students." A twitter of amusement rippled through the class at her blatant, deadpan statement. "I'd like to introduce Teams Telos, Kazeyuki, and Omega. In Team Telos, will Makoto Yuki, Junpei Iori, Akihiko Sanada, and Shinjiro Aragaki please stand up. You will be receiving a potential after summer." The boys stood obediently, before sitting down at her gesture. "Team Kazeyuki, will Minako Kai, Mitsuru Kirijo, Fuuka Yamagishi, and Yukari Takeba please stand? Unfortunately, the final member of your team is off on assignment, but she will be back shortly." The four girls stood as indicated. They sat down fairly quickly once allowed to do so. "Finally, Team Omega, will Kenji Tomochika, Kazushi Miyamoto, Rio Iwasaki, Andre Laurent Jean Geraux, and Chihiro Fushimi please stand?" They did, before sitting down quickly as well. "Good, now that the introductions are complete, let's get on with the class work of the day!" Groans left their voices, though she chuckled. "Oh don't worry, this one is going to be fun! We'll be heading to Dark Hour Isle in thirty minutes, and your 'work' is to find out your Magical Affiliation, get yourselves a new weapon, and get your personalized Evokers!" At that announcement, whispers exploded across the room.

"Oh my gosh, really?"

"Damn! Talk about fun!"

"Aw yeah!"

"I'm fired up now!" She let the comments go on until the chatter died to a mere murmur, and cleared her throat.

"Well, before you can do the first one, I need to tell you how Magical Affiliation works." She turned her back to them, drawing a chart. "First, you are separated into three Classes. Can anyone tell me what these Classes are? How about you Iori?" Said boy looked a little alarmed, but he knew this one and answered automatically.

"Knight, Mage, and Berserker." Ms. Toriumi beamed at him.

"Excellent! Yes, that's exactly right. They seem fairly obvious, but I'll explain them anyways, just in case. Some people can figure out what they are just by listening to the descriptions." She took a red marker, writing the word Knight in clear letters. "Knights are very good at offensive physical techniques and are in three magical Classes. White Knights, who use Angelic Magic, are split between Templar and Paladin. Templar Knights are healing Knights, whose other primary abilities are healing and support, while Paladin Knights are more offensive based. Grey Knights are just that. They are the medium of both White and Black Knights, and balance things more easily. Black Knights, who use Demonic Magic, are split between Assassins and Gladiators, both of whom are offensive based, though Assassins are more stealth than brute force." Sniggers came from some of the less intelligent students of the room.

"Mages are somewhat different. Mages rely more on their Personae than the other classes. So the classes are as follows. White Mage, which consists of Summoners and Spirit Masters. Summoners do not 'summon' Personae, but instead summon Angelic deities instead, while Spirit Masters can summon up to two Personae at a time, though if you're a Wild Card or Compendium user you can summon more." Her eyes raked briefly over Minako and Makoto. "Black Mages fall into the categories of Summoners and Elementals. Again, Summoners do not deal with Personae, but instead they deal with Demonic Entities, while Elementals are about as obvious as I can make it. Grey Mages are either Negate, Enhance, or Searchers." Her expression became much more somber at the next Class.

"Unfortunately, there are few records of Grey, White, or Black Berserkers, though it's said that Berserkers are capable of very comprehensive barrier magic. If you are one, lie to me about it. Berserkers are rare enough that being one is chance of being dissected for science or turned insane." Her sad tone lighted faintly however. "Aside from that, they're a good Circle Focus, which will be covered next class. Line up so I can give you your keys!" They lined up in the order that Ms. Toriumi gave them, and they were each handed a card.

"Kazeyuki, your team leader will be Minako. Omega, your team leader is Kenji. Akira, yours is the same as last years, along with Terra, Junan, and Neudaiz. Telos, your team leader is Makoto." She handed the last of the keys out, and marched them out to the train. "Alright, one team per compartment, and no shoving!" Makoto took quiet lead, sliding to the right two compartments and opening a door in the dead center of the train, gesturing at his teammates to follow. They did, walking quickly after the blue-haired teenager, kowtowing briefly at a master of train travel, to Makoto's silent amusement. Before the doors closed however, Makoto's Compendium squeezed in, giving a loud rendition of a squeak from the depths of the pages. They all started to smirk as Makoto ducked from the constant assault of his book. He snatched it out of the air after a while however, and proceeded to threaten one of the dwelling beings of the book.

"Thanatos you idiot, pull that stunt again and I will deactivate your Persona Card!" The book squeaked again, this time in fear, and it snapped shut. Makoto instinctively smiled at his comrades, who all stared at him in amusement. "Sorry about that . . ." They blinked, coughed, and looked away from him.

"Dude, don't smile like that again. You look like one of those creepy salespeople over there." Junpei's finger pointed directly at one of the said salespeople who were chasing after some rather harassed students, though said salespeople quailed under Ms. Toriumi's stern eyes. Not even they were stupid enough to cross 'Maya', one of the few Persona-users that were capable of performing a full run through the tower without getting hurt.

"Oh, sorry," Makoto answered, not at all apologetic, playing with the glass key that they had been given. Akihiko scowled briefly at the other door, where a few giggling girls were eyeing him with something akin to interest. Thankfully, before they had a chance to enter, the speakerphone crackled to life.

"Dark Hour Isle is directly ahead. Please remain in your individual compartments for the time being. Anyone who attempts to change compartments during travel shall be ripped apart by magical sheer." Strangely enough, the voice was even more chirpy about that. "Thank you for choosing Kirijo as your transport for this evening." The rush of static signified the end of the broadcast.

"Fucking hell. What's with the positive tone?" Shinjiro asked doubtfully, looking up at the speakers. "Is this train run by psychotic idiots or what?" Makoto coughed, lips half-curved into a smile.

"The trains are run by Personae," Makoto answered dryly. "In this case, I believe that Yachimata-hime was the one calling the shots. You should know her as the goddess of innumerable roads." They blinked, stared at the speakers once more, and shivered.

"That's really not reassuring." Akihiko deadpanned. Junpei opened his mouth to add more, but before they could, a sudden lurch swept them off their feet.

"Ow!" Makoto winced, rubbing his ass as he stood back up, his Compendium giggling manically at him.

"**_You actually fell! Oh, for the love of Persona, you actually fell!_****"** A voice cackled at him from the book while the rest of them eyed it. Makoto sighed while they shifted their focus towards him. Makoto gripped the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"Orpheus? Messiah? Please?" Makoto deadpanned.

"**It would be our pleasure Young Master,**" One chipper voice answered from the book. The sound of a sudden smack and a disembodied "**_OW! Jesus Messiah, OW! Hey, not you too! We're friends aren't we Orpheus?_**" Came from the pages while everyone stared at Makoto. "_And that is why I'm doing this,_" Another voice giggled at him, clear and amused. "_Hold still now!_" For a few seconds, there was silence as the book froze. "**_You'll never take me alive with that attack!_**" It shrieked, pages flipping rapidly as one of the three dwellers that had spoken ran from page to page. "**_Ack! Oh no. Narcissus, I can explain. Please, please don't hurt me?_**" All of them blinked, and then covered their ears as a howl of pain reminiscent of the few individuals stupid enough to actually cause Mitsuru to use her Execution sounded out from the pages.

"Your Personas are weird." Junpei answered finally, when his hands left his ears. Makoto's lips twitched in amusement.

"They've grown up with me." Makoto answered finally, "And I let them meet Anne Arundel." They winced. Everyone had heard of _that_ particular American Wild Card. Crazier than a frat boy on crack, she was one of the only Wild Cards in the world who had gone to every single version of Tartarus in the last decade, which certainly didn't help her case of sanity. They all glanced out of the compartments, and with a start, they realized something.

"Where the fuck did the other compartments go?" Shinjiro asked, taking a step forward and glancing at the sky, which had yet to turn into the typical green-tinted hue it had during the Dark Hour. They eyed the sky quietly, looking out towards the inky black. They were definitely well away from the city by now. A crackle came from the speakers, introducing an entirely new voice on screen; one that made every student jump up and draw whatever weapon they had on them in compartments scattered all over the darkness.

"**Why hello there! My name is Lucifer, and I'll be HIJACKING your cars tonight!"** A hysterical giggle left the speakers. "**Now, you all have a simple test! Get out alive, and you'll return to your regularly scheduled programming**!" More maniacal laughter. "**And a _special challenge _for all of you loser boys out there. Beat me, and I'll give you something real good in return!**" They all blinked, and yelped as one as the compartment door slammed open, releasing a deluge of Shadows in the room, which expanded to fit.

"Fuck." Makoto deadpanned. "Well aren't we all royally screwed," Makoto sighed, grabbing his Compendium out of the air.

"Understatement much?" Shinjiro asked satirically as he grabbed his axe. "Fucking hell, what do we do now?" Akihiko shot his bonded a blood-thirsty grin.

"What else? Kick ass and take names." Akihiko laughed, adjusting his gloves briefly and getting into position.

"Count me in," Junpei agreed, grinning lopsidedly.

"Ready?"

* * *

"Aw yeah!" Minako cheered, reaching for her spare naginata and putting it together. Nearby, Fuuka swallowed nervously.

"I don't think this is a good thing sempai," Fuuka stuttered. Yukari had facepalmed spectacularly at her roommate's enthusiasm, and Mitsuru said nothing, instead fetching her rapier from elegant sheath it had been in.

"It never is when they're this numerous," Mitsuru answered coolly.

"That doesn't matter right now!" Yukari snapped at them all. "Right now? Just move!"


	3. Chapter 3

Yay! More of Team Kazeyuki in this one. Thanks for your continuing support!

Chapter 3

* * *

_Unspecified time between April 7th and the Dark Hour._

* * *

Mitsuru grimaced, shaking her hands free of the black, gooey mess that was a former Shadow. Nearby, Minako was retying her red hair once more, maroon eyes sweeping the area.

"Fuuka? Report." Minako's voice was devoid of any enthusiasm, already heavily drained from endless battles.

"We're in the clear for now," Fuuka answered finally. "There's a few teams still fighting, but Team Telos . . ." Fuuka was silent for a moment. "I am unable to locate Team Telos." Minako's stomach dropped. It wasn't that she liked them (Or knew any of them, aside from Makoto, who'd saved her life during the Tokyo Fiasco) but of all the teams to go missing . . .

"Oh!" Fuuka's startled voice came back on air. "Incredible . . . The huge mass of Shadows I detected earlier are gone! It appears that Team Telos was in a Surge and won!" Those words shot a chill down the girls backs. To win against a Surge . . . What power were the boys hiding to have done that?

* * *

Shinjiro was seeing red flickering on the edges of his vision, after-effects of his Rage. Nearby, the others were glowing and shuddering with their own powers. Makoto's torn Compendium pages fluttered feebly, the paper scattered everywhere and cards helter-skelter across the uneven ground. With almost monumental effort, Shinjiro forced down the last vestiges of his Rage, offering a hand to Makoto. Akihiko's hands glowed with white before they faded, and Junpei was miraculously unharmed, his body flickering with a dark sheet of energy.

"Oh bravo! Not quite the losers after all are you?" The hysterical tone of voice had them facing Lucifer warily, each one gauging him separately. "I'd heard you'd returned, but I hadn't really expected you to mesh like this already!" _What on earth did he mean,_ Shinjiro thought blankly as Lucifer advanced. Makoto stepped back as Lucifer stepped forward, his action mirrored by his entire team. The feeble flipping of papers on the ground scuttled loudly, but went ignored by Lucifer.

"What do you want?" Makoto asked flatly, his voice cold and forbidding. It made Shinjiro wince, recalling the few times Akihiko had used that tone of voice himself.

"Oh, you wound me!" Lucifer declared, heartbroken, before he smirked and bounced up. "Just a greeting Makoto, don't be like that!" Makoto's eyes narrowed.

"There's a reason that you've been declared a danger to humanity. You've bought too deeply into Erebus's ideals." A soft giggle left the demonic entity.

"Only because he speaks the truth. You can't possibly still agree that Philemon is good for us?" Lucifer asked softly. "If Philemon is so pure, then what do you think his _ilk_ –" He spat the word out darkly "Would do to your poor little boy and his bonded right there?" Lucifer's finger pointed directly at Shinjiro and Akihiko, whose eyes widened in surprise. "The poor children still worship Philemon, and one suffers from insanity because of it!" Both boys recoiled in answer. "And him!" Junpei looked a touch startled. "His girlfriend suffers the same fate! Would you deny him to power to save her?"

"Shut up." Makoto's voice was low. "Lucifer, I know you well, and if I know anything about you it's that _you love to lie._" Makoto's hands swept up, and the world went white.

* * *

Shinjiro eyed the repaired Compendium.

"That was . . . Fuck. What was that?" Shinjiro asked. Before Makoto could answer, they all fell down into their compartment, leaving them a tangled mess of legs and arms. They all jumped apart (well, jumped being a relative thing), blushing.

"Last resort." Makoto sighed, channeling energy into the pages. "I stock up spare energy and if it gets torn, the energy will fix it in a blast." Akihiko admired the Compendium as the world went green. "I'll have to turn in Lucifer's card again."

"Again?" Junpei asked slowly.

"Yeah, again." Makoto agreed. "The Tokyo Fiasco was caused by Lucifer." Everyone winced. "That's the reason he's unavailable for pairing with a Wild Card." Makoto sighed in relief when the train compartment stopped. "C'mon, let's roll."

* * *

Yukari was gaping open-mouthed at Dark Hour Isle, rather resembling a fish in her comical representation.

"I'd say flies, but then I'd miss doing this," Minako muttered, Eurydice giggling in the back of her mind as she snapped a picture of Yukari's open-mouthed expression. Yukari's eyes snapped back to them, and she scowled. Fuuka giggled, and Mitsuru sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Hey!"

* * *

Junpei was like a kid in a candy store, all excited over a random series of weapons. Shinjiro followed much more slowly, assessing each one in turn. Makoto stopped Junpei from touching the weapons.

"Don't touch them," Makoto warned. "They've been there since their masters were born. You don't pick the weapon here; your Persona does." Akihiko shot him an incredulous look, and Shinjiro did the same while Junpei sulked in a corner. He'd never heard of such a thing. Sure, Personae _were_ their partners, but what difference did it really make, which one of them picked the weapon? It wasn't until Makoto smiled at him sympathetically that he realized he'd spoken aloud.

"Do you tell yourself and everyone else the absolute truth all the time, every single moment, Shinjiro-san?" Makoto asked in amusement. "Let me tell you there is not a single soul in the world that does that, and if you do . . . I'm amazed you're still alive." Shinjiro flushed faintly.

"Right. Stupid question." Makoto shook his head.

"That's a good question. After all, how honest are _you_ to yourself without asking these questions?" Makoto smiled again, and gently chivvied everyone on their way. "I'm guessing everyone already knows what their Affiliation is, right?" Makoto asked brightly.

"Yeah," All of them agreed, glancing at one another.

"Good. I won't ask details, but I need to know if you're bonded to anyone outside of this team." The other two shook their heads in the negative; Junpei nodded positive. "Chidori?" Junpei nodded again. "Alright, then that's all I need to know. Split up and return here when you've got your weapon, got it?" They all split up, separating to different stores.

* * *

Junpei strolled lazily down the sword racks, humming aimlessly. Every once in a while, his eye would catch sight of a nice weapon, but nothing really _pulled_ at him or Trismegistus Hermes. Junpei was so distracted, he almost missed a shopkeeper's yell to duck. He did, the weapon sailing over his head to stop, quivering, directly in front of him. Junpei blinked, eyed it, and nervously grasped it in his fingers. Deeper inside himself, Hermes hummed, sending the gray weapon in front of him to change color to black and blue, a heavy-set blue gem sparkling in the grasp of metal claws winding around it. Peering in between the metal, Junpei caught sight of floating runes in the crystal. He turned his attention to the shopkeeper who eyed him carefully.

"You certainly don't look over two hundred and twenty," The shopkeeper muttered. Junpei stared. He'd heard wrong.

"What?" Junpei deadpanned in blank answer. "Dude, not funny!"

* * *

Akihiko was browsing through gloves, making faces at a good majority of them. Some were good, but others had silly decorations, like glass or whimsical silver metal. Caesar was by his side, attempting to help him select a weapon when he suddenly snatched up a roll of stark white bandages. Caesar offered them proudly to the skeptical boxer, who eyed the very fine metal mesh that gave the bandages their strength. Briefly, he tested them against the sharp edge of a sword, finding them to be sturdy and very protective. He shrugged at Caesar and took it without complaint. Better than the majority of idiocy that was on the shelves. His fingers wrapped around the roll, and he gave Caesar a quizzical look when his normally stoic partner looked rather inordinately pleased with himself. In return, Caesar shot him an innocent look that Akihiko in no way bought.

"You and I are going to have a chat about subtlety," Akihiko declared flatly as Caesar beamed behind him, "Because it's very clear you need it."

* * *

Shinjiro eyed his Persona mildly, tapping a foot against the ground and offering Alexander a 'well, get on with it' look. Alexander merely raised an eyebrow in reply, used to Shinjiro's normal stubbornness.

"Look, I'm sure you know damn well what I need," Shinjiro deadpanned, "And if you plan on seeing me live out the year, I'd advise to get this over with so we can go take a look at getting ourselves a brand-new Evoker." Alexander grumbled at him irritably, pissed that his fun was cut short. "We don't have all hour," Shinjiro reminded him patiently. Alexander sighed, grabbed Shinjiro's arm, and dragged him to the front of a rather large handheld cannon. Shinjiro stared at it. "You've got to be kidding me. What is this crazy shit anyways?" Alexander's lips twitched, clearly having expected that reaction from his partner.

"Oh, that thing?" A shopkeeper with the name 'Toro' emblazoned proudly on the nametag walks up as Shinjiro jumps in alarm. "She's a real beauty. The name for that girl is Wrath. Go on then, pick 'er up!" Shinjiro eyed him as well, along with a silent, very amused Alexander before sighing heavily. One gloved hand wrapped around the metal bar; the other slid into the arm slot with ease, grasping a silicone-covered handle inside, letting go of the one outside as he hefted it up. Letting go of the outside seemed to be a pretty good idea, as the metal barrel expanded to overlap the now glowing guard as he hefted it up, pulling the lower guards up to run parallel with the static ones. A look of surprise crossed his face as he lifted the surprisingly light weapon. Strong fingers grasped the handle a touch more tightly as the inner barrel glowed and shifted colors like lava. "Still don't want it?"

"Shut it." Shinjiro answered, ignoring Alexander's smug look. "I must be a real bastard, my true self," Shinjiro deadpanned to Alexander, wiping the smirk off of his Persona's face, at least for the moment. Then Alexander proccessed what Shinjiro had just said, leading to a look of stunned amusement.

* * *

Makoto was already there, gluing in a new fabric cover for his Compendium when they each returned to him. Makoto beamed at them briefly, holding the ends down for a count of five and picking it up gently, careful of the worn, ratty edges.

"Are all Compendiums old?" Akihiko asked, fingers wrapping the bandages around his knuckles and halfway up his arms on both sides. That done, Akihiko unrolled his sleeves down over his arms, hiding the bandages from view as he slipped on his regular leather gloves.

"Yes, actually," Makoto answered distractedly, focusing on smoothing down the cover where it rather fussily refused to remove that one tiny wrinkle. "A Compendium records the multiple reincarnations of a person and their Persona of those lifetimes. Once you've acquired enough years, experience, and Personae through your lives, you are granted a Compendium. I've never needed another weapon, and I can't get one either." Makoto snapped the book shut. Junpei admired the cannon before turning to Makoto.

"So, what does it mean when a person's weapon is older than they are?" Junpei asked finally. Makoto's head shot up.

"That happened to you?" Junpei nodded automatically, and that sent Makoto into a deep course of thought. "It's rare enough that I've never heard of it before. I'd ask Ms. Toriumi about it if you really are curious." Shinjiro quietly locked his weapon back into place, grimacing at Akihiko's amused glance at it.

"Don't ask. Please." Shinjiro sighed faintly. Akihiko shrugged, and smirked. He'd tease him later.

"Let's hope you know how to use it." Makoto replied distractedly. "C'mon, Evoker time."

* * *

I'm a little disappointed. No one guessed why I picked the year 2218! C'mon people, look it up for me! I swear it's important.

Terms to know:

Compendium: _I know, this is obvious, but some extra clarification. When Makoto dies this time, he'll become like Elizabeth, Theodore, and Margret, because he's capable of handling all of his Persona without outside help like a Wild Card._

Surge: _There are a set amount of Shadows that can be on a floor/ring at one time. For that limit to be broken, the _Shadows_ on that floor have to converge in waves in an area. When there are no people in the area, it's merely considered _Concentration_, not a _Surge_. When there are people there, the waves focus on them. The area they are in has a set Shadow Limit of 200. The _Concentration_ had numbered at around 350._

Dark Hour Isle: _Created at the fall, Dark Hour Isle is made up of former Persona users who never got the chance to use their skills due to time and fate, and had the skill to craft. They dedicated their afterlife to creating and guarding weapons made for future generations. Elizabeth, Theodore, and Margret are children of Dark Hour Isle._

Shadow:_ They are the natural creatures of darkness, and thier shape is determined off of the humans they resemble. There is one _Shadow_ for every person on earth who has died. Full-Moon Shadows are the result of Genocides. There are only two ways to permanently remove a Shadow. A living sacrifice and Radioactive death. Shadows cannot regenerate if they are genetically altered, due to fragile genetics._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

_12:47, April 7th_

* * *

Ms. Toriumi stood in front of her class, stern eyes sweeping over the students one at a time.

"Behind me is the Evoker Room." Her voice was very crisp and flat. "From here on out, you will no longer use the skills of the TV world to summon a Persona. Please turn in your Evoke Cards and glasses in please." A quiet rustle, and students complied with her request. "From here on out, those of you new teams are considered officially in employment of the Gekkoukan Military Academy and the Japanese Government. You will be held legally responsible for any of your actions both on and off campus, and any orphaned students are now emancipated." Akihiko and Shinjiro glanced at one another briefly, an action mirrored by some of the other students.

"Evokers are dangerous, deadly implements. They are very highly regulated, and misuse of an Evoker will result in forcible removal of your Persona and a full memory wipe." Silence. No student dared breathe. "Now, each student will enter one by one and will receive your Evoker through a personalized manner. Do not touch another person's Evoker, as it is the closest thing to a physical soul you will ever see. It may kill you." Ms. Toriumi stepped down. "Team Kazeyuki, step up please." The girls walked up, and the swallowed nervously. "One at a time please, starting with Ms. Kirijo." It was dead silent until she returned, wielding a red-steel Evoker and looking quite pleased with herself. Each student entered, took about a minute, two tops, and left with a brand new Evoker that was as unique as they were. Junpei entered last, hurray for him. He swallowed quietly, eyeing the Evokers that piled up to the ceiling. Each was hewn out of a dull gray stone and lifeless.

"Junpei Iori." Igor greeted him with a tilt of the head, to which Junpei politely returned.

"Nice to see ya again, Igor." Junpei answered, eyes on Margret as she fluttered from shelf to shelf.

"The shopkeeper you interacted with earlier has had his memory forcibly wiped of your encounter with him." Junpei's eyes shot up to meet his eyes, before they narrowed. "I wish I could tell you why, but the true Master of the Velvet room has his own reasons for why you should not know the truth of your weapon. It carries a very heavy burden." Junpei frowned slightly. His eyes snapped to Margret as she peeled off her current gloves and throwing them away. "Your Affiliation, if you will." Junpei hesitated, but answered.

"True Black Knight, Gladiator and Bonded." Junpei said, faintly defiant. Margret hummed in quiet answer, snapping on a pair of pitch-black gloves and picking up an Evoker.

"The history of Evokers is a long one, and shall be covered by your teacher tomorrow along with Circles, so I won't bore you with more than the bare minimum of details. But know that Evokers are never touched by anyone but their user. Even the creator never lays a modicum of bare skin to it, for even the slightest touch could forcibly implant a suggestive thought or personality into the brain of the user. Let none but those you trust with your very soul and Persona touch your Evoker. Step on the pitch black circle in the center of the room please." Junpei stepped up to the plate, swallowing nervously as the weapon was leveled at his forehead. Even knowing it wasn't a true gun, it still made him nervous.

"Do you believe yourself ready?" Margret asked patiently. Junpei swallowed his fear.

"Yes. I'm ready to go." Junpei answered, smoothing out his uniform slacks. A sudden crack of a gunshot, and the Evoker shattered the barrier between his mind and that of his partner's in a crackle of broken glass before he could even blink.

* * *

_April 7th, 10:30 PM_

* * *

Junpei was almost bouncing off the walls. If Shinjiro hadn't known the reason why, he'd have decked the annoying teenager a long time ago. As it was, he took a harsh breath in, struggling to hold his mind from the tempting prospect of slicing something to ribbons. Akihiko felt it across the bond, and rightly assumed the problem.

"Junpei, stop bouncing." The sound of his voice elicted squeals from the small number of women still swayed by Akihiko's darker charms, but only resulted in a pout from Junpei. "Please," Akihiko added, jerking his head in Shinjiro's direction. An understanding light blinked to life behind brown eyes, and he nodded, flopping into a seat.

"Sorry dudes," Junpei apologized. "But seriously, we'll be hitting the Tower this evening! I'm seriously psyched." Before either boy could answer, Makoto did, arriving with another meal.

"First we have to make our way through the Lost City," Makoto reminded him patiently. "I'm good with Orpheus, but not that good. We'll have to map out the city first." They all shrugged at him.

"I still think we'll be one of the first new teams in the building!" Junpei said cheerfully.

"One of?" Shinjiro said, amused. Junpei nodded.

"Yeah, at least third, because Kenji has some super weird sensing thingamajig he can do to avoid Shadows, and that green-haired chica over there has a persona completely built for tracking. So yeah, third." Makoto looked impressed at that particular logic. Before he could comment, Ms. Toriumi swept in, holding a stack of books. Kazushi, being nearest and an absolute gentleman, took half of the precariously swaying stack of books and helped her set them down on a nearby desk.

"Thank you Mr. Miyamoto," She smiled at him, and Kaz blushed and nodded in answer. "Today you'll each receive a Data Log. Don't worry, you don't have to write anything," She said as some students groaned. "All you have to do each night after the Dark Hour is write your name down. It will then record your individual and team progress. This keeps students from advancing too far without fighting." Some teams looked even more sheepish at that. Makoto waved them all down, grabbing four books for his team and offering them each one. They took it without complaint, and said nothing, observing the mob with faint amusement and sympathy.

"Thanks," They all muttered as one.

"So there's been minor changes to the curriculum this year, thanks to the fact that Circle-Forging has become legal for any set of students with passable knowledge to achieve due to last year's unfortunate Circle destruction campaign." Everyone winced as one. That had been an absolute fiasco, with underage kids forging illegal Circles and getting themselves killed due to missing key components and deliberate misinformation. Some of the few Circles that had survived the experience had gone insane, leaving just three of the over two-hundred Circles forged during that time around the world to remain functional.

"But first, Evokers. the Evoker momentarily instills a feeling of mortal fear into the user in order to provoke basic survival instincts and trigger the user's natural ability to use a Persona. The gun-like frame adds to the effect. Additionally, it creates a link to a psychological sphere called the "collective unconscious", with the aid of a certain crystal that is embedded on the inside, in order to allow the user to summon a Persona without putting too much strain onto their own, personal mind." Ms. Toriumi said crisply. "But the Evoker is also a more personal item than one should really believe. It has emotions and expression just like we ourselves do." She smiled thinly. "To use another Evoker that has already been claimed is dangerous, as it puts a mental echo of that person in their brain, a suggestive implant. For some people, that isn't a problem." Her eyes flicked over Chidori and Junpei. "For others, it can be fatal." They winced as one.

"Second, Circles. Now can anyone tell me what a Circle is? How about you Yamagishi?" Fuuka swallowed nervously.

"A Circle is a magically binding contract between three to five individuals capable of using Personae, Demons, or Angels that multiplies each individual's strength by that of his or her peers." Fuuka answered timidly. Ms. Toriumi smiled sweetly at her.

"Very good Ms. Yamagishi, you're absolutely correct. That's a fairly basic explanation of it, however, and doesn't count the finer points, such as Class, age, number of reincarnations, and so on. The most powerful Circles on average tend to be groups of seven, since it is the largest stable number a Circle can hold, though there have been extraordinarily powerful three and five man teams. Circles must absolutely be odd numbers, otherwise the 'Circle', has no focal point. Now, the bare minimum enhancement of being in a Circle is a minimum of three times the total cumulative strength to a maximum of 100 times for the strongest recorded."

Gasps and amazed sounds echoed around the room. "That is why they're so highly regulated. Type and skill can magnify your ability even more, though the most common give less power to the combined energy of the team. Circles are also done to stabilize those with a less than sane mentality. There are nearly twenty-five different factors that go into deciding the strength of a Circle, and does not account for time of year or date it's preformed. Take serious care of the date you choose, should you choose to join a Circle." The warning bell rung, and the gates to the Lost City began to rise. A flicker of movement, and the Defensive Anti-Shadow Resistance of Kirijo (Otherwise known as the DARK Hour Defense team) moved into place at either side of the gate.

"New students!" Someone walked up to them, smiling. "Your teams will be distributed to one of the twelve gates, as there were only twelve teams divined this year. Any requests on which gate you'd like to be put at?" Makoto glanced back at them and they shrugged.

"Your call leader boy," Junpei answered for them all. Makoto stepped up and whispered his request, which was given a blank look in response.

"Well . . . If you're sure," The man said dubiously, but lifted a hand to flag down his team. "Put these kids at the Twelve-hour entrance."

* * *

Ken frowned slightly, watching the moon as it glowed a sickly green. His fingers tapped against the glass, so sure that he could grab it if he tried. With a frustrated sigh, he shook his head. By his side, Alice slept, her blond hair splayed across the cold pillows. A faint frown overtook his lips again as he watched her, before he shook his head again, biting his lip worriedly.

They wouldn't be separated. Not without a damn good reason.

* * *

Thanks those of you who reviewed! This is for you guys. On the late update, I've been a little busy trying to figure out how to put Ken in the story without writing myself into the ground, so updates might be hectic.

P.S. _Please, please review. I have absolutely no idea what you people think, and it's a little tough to read minds when all I've got is a computer screen and a brain-dead mentality of _Squee, I got a favorite/follow!_ Please?_


	5. Chapter 5

Apologies for the late update.

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

_Saturday April 11th, one day before the Full Moon Dark Hour._

* * *

Shinjiro didn't want to get up. His body ached all over, as if weighed down by heavy shackles. He moaned and buried his head deeper into the pillows, even as his bonded woke up, equally sluggish and in pain. He could hear Makoto nearby, hopefully suffering just as much as they were. By the agonized groan, he might actually have been worse off than they were, which caused an unexpected twinge of sympathy to well up. Makoto was technically at a very severe disadvantage than the rest of them, since he didn't have a weapon, though Shinjiro would have paid handsomely to see Makoto try to carry a weapon half as heavy as Wrath. Makoto spent most of his time running and dodging, not to mention the constant magic drain that he put on himself each night, consistently calling various partners to assist and battle by his side.

For all their progress, they'd only made it past three of the fifty Rings of the Lost City, though as far as the rumors went, they were in fairly deep compared to Kazeyuki and Omega, the runners up in their twisted race. He sat up, and realized that their ever reliable leader was actually still asleep, and likely to keep sleeping. He checked the Calendar, and sighed with relief at seeing that it was a day off to let the students recover from their crazy runs. Ms. Toriumi had been running them ragged with constant lessons in the depths of the Lost City, reminding them that if the three most promising teams made it in the tower last she'd never hear the end of it. They were not only exhausted, but irritable and snappy. Shinjiro glanced at his bonded, who'd put up with his Rages all week without even the faintest word of complaint. It was a determined Shinjiro who left his delightful bed, making sure to settle Akihiko back in gently before leaving his room.

Akihiko woke to the sound of bacon cooking. Glancing at himself, he made an unamused note that he was still dressed in his uniform and weapon, having been too tired to change last night. Stripping down to his boxers, Akihiko plucked off the note on the bathroom door.

_Akihiko,_

_Please strip your bed of the covers before you shower for me. I'll be doing laundry today. Also, don't think I didn't notice that hit you took for me last night. I suggest taking a bath to help the muscles relax._

_Makoto_

_P.S. Junpei requested of me to add that he did something to the showerhead to make sure there was a steady supply of hot water, and cautions you not to raise the knob higher than halfway, unless you prefer to become lobster bisque._

Akihiko chuckled faintly at the rueful note of humor in Makoto's little note as he peeled the sheets off of the wide double sized bed with a smile as considered the tempting offer to just soak. He knew how observant his leader was, but to notice when he was hit by a blinding spell was pretty nifty. He'd have to learn that trick someday, sooner rather than later.

One super-scalding bath later, and Akihiko felt human again, toweling off the short mess that was his hair and fruitlessly searching for his hairbrush. After remembering that he'd left it in the living room, he tugged on a pair of loose shorts and wandered out to the living room, where a plate of bacon was left thoughtfully between Makoto and Shinji, Junpei sitting on Shinjiro's other side. He paused long enough to discern the conversation was about weapon recoil, something he had little interest in, before settling into Shinji's side.

"I mean, yeah, I get that recoil is a bitch – Hey sempai – but think of the possibilities!" Junpei was bouncing with excitement. "That cannon of yours if you practiced enough could probably add to a punch or something. Shoot one way, use the recoil to spin around, pull your fist back and hit at the right time and bam!" Junpei held his hands out. "Recoil-powered punch. Considering that you already hit pretty hard already, you'd do some major damage! Or even better, you could use the cannon to shoot something on the ground below you and jump, cause I read somewhere if the recoil is heavier than you are you could pull some pretty awesome aerial shit. Some girl named Ruby Rose pulled it off the other day." Akihiko could feel his bonded slowly warm to the idea.

"What did they pull off?" Shinjiro asked, nudging Akihiko gently into eating. The white-haired teen complied, noticing that Makoto was already finished and patiently listening to the excitable teen describe the awesome that was recoil-powered weaponry. Akihiko paid minor attention, listening intently to the feats that the young girl had managed, mildly impressed despite himself. Once every bite of food was consumed, Junpei bounced up to take the plates.

"Dudes, I can't cook to save my life," Junpei deadpanned at them when they protested. "Now give me the plates."

* * *

Ken poked at the elevator button with an elbow, grimacing at the heavy load of metal ore he had in his hands. The doors slid open, and Ken stared at the person laying face down in the middle of the elevator. The doors slid shut again, and he swallowed. _I'll just take the stairs,_ Ken decided hastily, scampering down the hall.

* * *

That night, nearly everyone was curled up in bed sleeping. All of the students were ridiculously exhausted, including Team Telos, though the final team was not asleep. There was an odd energy to the air that left them awake and gasping for breath even as they drifted into the depths of Morpheus's arms. There was no sleep in their bodies tonight, and the four of them found themselves sitting on the balcony, soaking up the feeble energy of the moon. Even as the Dark Hour rang and the moon turned green, they did very little, though each moved back to their beds, Makoto throwing the curtains open wide, leaving the moon to shine over each bed, offering her own form of comfort to their battle-wearied bodies. They fell asleep swiftly; none noticing that the shadows had grown darker as they pooled around their feet, a pair of bright amber eyes glistening with a hunger and hate. They slept under the moon that night, wrapped in shadow.

* * *

The next morning, they were in bright spirits, all of them miraculously recovered somehow, and were bouncing, full of bubbly energy. Even Shinjiro had a better temperament than normal. There was no exhaustion to them, merely a strength of their body. They were stared at, whispers exploding across campus, laced with heavy rumors and speculation. They were enigmas, dangerous ones. There was nothing that seemed to stop their vivid energy. The Dark Hour began its approach, and students milled about, whispering eagerly at one another as the sky changed colors. The moon was full, its luminescent light casting even darker and more powerful Shadows at them. They forged onwards, making more progress than they normally did. Speed was essential here, they could feel it, each boy moving with strength and power. They had just advanced to the fifth ring when an alarm burst along the speakers of the city. Each boy glanced at one another, before sprinting back. There was a Full-Moon Shadow in the City.

Once upon a time, Full-Moon Shadows had been fairly weak, stronger than their peers, but still weak. Now they were gods, best avoided but fought with heavy backup. For the alarm to be ringing, the Full-Moon Shadow would have had to escape its bonds out of the Seal of the Moon. Tonight, it had already selected its prey, gaining with each movement of its massive hands. Landing, it roared a challenge at them.

"Fuck!" Makoto gasped, seeing the size of the Shadow. Its mask was massive, held by nearly a hundred hands, and thousands more entangled arms and hands made the body, each one holding a sword dripping with amber liquid. _Acid._ The liquid hissed through concrete, bubbling viciously as they ate through the tempered material. Makoto groaned, and his companions followed suit. "We're going to have to fight!"

* * *

"Where's Team Telos?" Ms. Toriumi had already done her headcount, and only one team was missing. Fuuka was searching for them at Minako's hastily directed order, but she came up empty, unable to tell her where and what had happened to them, save for the Full-Moon Shadow being in the area. Ms. Toriumi cursed fluently, grabbing her weapon.

"Where are they Yamagishi?" She snapped again. Fuuka's hands trembled, as her hands spread out.

"They're with the Shadow."

* * *

Shinjiro caught Makoto as he landed, using Wrath to fling them back about half a dozen meters, forcing some the Medicinal pills down his throat. Junpei was off in the corner with Trismegistus, the two attacking hard at the flanks of the monster. Akihiko was disabling it, one sword at a time, darting in close with Caesar to fire a bolt of lightning to slacken black fingers and melt the metal of the sword. Molten metal fell in clumps past the teenager, singeing his shirt and jacket. Burns littered his biceps, where molten metal had gotten to him. The acid had yet to hurt him, but he avoided the blades where he could. Alexander whispered on the edge of his consciousness, begging for freedom.

_Be careful,_ Shinjiro warned, feeling his Persona nod crisply at him.

_Understood,_ Alexander answered, bursting free of Shinjiro's mind even as he lifted Wrath. Makoto's small hand rested on the barrel, and inexplicable energy surged through the barrel, tasting of fury. Makoto let go, skipping back from him even as a small hand was raised to a bleeding gash to his side. Shinjiro fired, and halfway through, it met Junpei's Agilao, merging and punching a hole through the mass of arms. Alexander swept Akihiko into his arms a split second before the many hands backhanded them both away, sending the two into the air. Alexander swept a regal arm, and glowing energy created a platform beneath their feet. Blood dripped from Shinjiro's shoulder, the force of the recoil having dug the weapon into the flesh and blistered it. Makoto stumbled up to him, healing them both with a well cast Media. He was spluttering up liquid, but Shinjiro was a touch more concerned for Junpei, who he hadn't seen after the combination attack. When nearly two dozen hands appeared chopped off with one irritated looking teenager stalking out of the second bloody hole in the Shadow, Shinjiro smiled grimly. Red was already hazing his vision, but he pushed his Rage back yet again to fire another shot, this one into the mask.

Akihiko could feel his bonded as his Rage welled up in him, and as he recovered on the platform, Akihiko assisted in helping him push it back. He smiled bleakly up at Alexander, who petted his head briefly.

"Care to give Caesar and I a hand?" Akihiko asked patiently. "He's weak to Almighty skills, so we should have a chance to get the rest of those swords off while he's dazed." Alexander nodded emphatically, pointing to the mess Junpei had caused. "Damn straight," Akihiko agreed with a laugh.

Makoto swallowed nervously, yanking Junpei none-too-gently away from the monster and nudging Shinjiro back.

"What the hell!" Junpei spluttered as they were yanked to the ground. "What's –" Junpei heard the thunder first, before he tasted ozone and something quite a bit more powerful as it surged in the air. The hairs on the back of his neck rose, and a white flash overtook everything.

When he looked again, Akihiko was by their side, the massive mask cracked. It still moved, furious, and Makoto stood up, flipping pages in his little Compendium.

"I'll be able to take it from here," Makoto said quietly. He raised a card from the pages. "_**Thanatos**_**.**" From the pages, ghostly coffins branched out, forming a half-circle to surround a black-clad figure. It was a terrifying visage, but that same playful voice from the week before answered his call.

"_**For the love of Christ, talk about big ****and**_**ugly**_**.**_" There was a dry chuckle, like the sound of rasping sandpaper. "_**I've got him from here Mi- Makoto.**_" At the last second Thanatos changed whatever it was he was going to say, smiling sheepishly. Lifting his weapon, he summoned up his best power. "_**Death.**_" The world went black, and the Shadow screamed, a sound heard across the entire City as the First Full-Moon Shadow died for the first time in nearly a hundred years. There was silence, as Thanatos put his blade away, coffins beginning to disappear. "_**To victory.**_" Thanatos whispered, vanishing back into his Persona Card. Makoto smiled faintly, holding it tight in his hand.

"To life," Makoto finished the salutation, sighing and putting Thanatos back into his Compendium as strength from the fallen Shadow began to enter their veins. The last thing he saw was the glint of melted metal on concrete.


End file.
